Packaging means for articles that are deleteriously affected by moisture



Nov. 10, 1959 BISHOP 2,912,138

PACKAGING MEANS FOR'ARTICLES THAT ARE DELETERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY MOISTUREFiled May 19, 1958 5 a Y 3 L 10 INVENTOR. EDWIN V BISHOP 7157.3 wa a/ATTORNEYS v PACKAGING MEANS FOR ARTICLES THAT ARE DELETERIOUSLY AFFECTEDBY MOISTURE Edwin V. Bishop, Sparks, Md., assignor to Kirwan Y. Messick,Smithfield, Va.

Application May 19, 1958, Serial No. 736,220

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-85) This invention relates to packaging means formaterials or articles that are deleteriously affected by moisture andits object is to provide a novel type of package comprising very simpleand inexpensive means for converting certain well known commercial formsof containers into containers in which the internal pressure ismaintained substantially constant.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a container having therein aflexible or elastic bladder the interior of which is in communicationwith the external atmosphere. A rise of pressure outside the container,instead of causing outside air to seek entry to the container throughany minute leaks which may exist, merely expands the bladder, while adrop in the external atmospheric pressure merely results in contractionof the bladder, the result in each case being to maintain equal pressureboth within and outside the container, irrespective of fluctuations ofpressure within the container if the latter be subjected to widevariations of heat or cold.

The device of the present invention is adapted to accomplish theforegoing objects in conjunction with containers of the type Widely usedto receive roll materials, such as drawings, prints, pictures and thelike. The containers usually employed for the storage of many types ofsuch materials are often in the form of elongated cardboard tubes of themailing tube type. Many of the papers, such as drawings and prints,which have to be stored are quite valuable, including many highly secretor classified drawings, prints and tracings of drawings, photostaticprints and Ozalid prints. Many of these are highly sensitive to moistureand may be caused to fade or otherwise deteriorate if subjected to moistatmospheric conditions for any appreciable length of time. The seriouslosses which could arise from the destruction, fading or damage ofdrawings, prints or like valuable documents has caused the government toestablish rigid requirements concerning the storage of the same. In manycases it is required that the containers be stored in rooms in whichboth the temperature and pressure are controlled and made continuouslyuniform within very close tolerances at all times. This has involvedvery great expense in the provision of rooms or buildings adapted tocarry out these rigid requirements.

This invention aims to provide individual tube-like containers adaptedto receive roll materials of the character indicated, together with asimple and inexpensive pressure equalizing capsule, of a nature to bereceived within the conventional paper cap or closure of such a tube andmeans for assembling the capsule and closure in such a simple andinexpensive manner that the desired individualized containers may befurnished to the user at a cost of only a few cents.

The manner in which the foregoing object is carried out is illustratedin the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 'is a side elevation of the complete package of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged, longitudinal sectional view through theremovable cap end of the package; and

Patented Nov. 10, 1959 Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3of Fig. 2

Like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.

The conventional paper storage tubes now so largely employed comprise anelongated cylindrical body 5, the bottom or rear end of which is closed,air tight, by a metallic 'cap 6. At the receiving end the tube 5 is re-.

duced in thickness for a short distance as at 5 and a closure cap Cslides upon this reduced portion to eifect a closing of the package,after a roll of papers or other articles to be stored have been placedtherein. The described reduction in thickness may be effected by makingthe body 5 to consist of an inner thickness 5 and an outer thickness 5with the portion 5 projecting beyond the portion 5 The conventionalclosure caps comprise a cylinder '7, usually of paper, the outer end ofwhich has a metal plate or end 8 crimped forcibly thereon inmanufacture. The parts are so constructed that when the cap C is slidalong the portion of reduced thickness 5 the closure is substantiallyair tight.

The capsule constituting the pressure equalizing element of theinvention consists of a simple paper, cardboard-like cylinder 10 theinner end of which is closed by a metallic cup-like head 11, except foran opening 12 formed in head 11. A plastic bag 13, constituting anexpansible and contractable bladder is disposed in cylinder 10 and thematerial of this bag is turned over the outer end of cylinder 10 andinwardly along the outside of the cylinder as at 14, where it makes airtight engagement with the cylinder. The material of the bag being of anelastic, rubber-like plastic, such as neoprene .for

7 example, hugs the cylinder so forcibly at its inturned portion 14 thatthe necessary air tight engagement of such portion with cylinder 10 ishad. However, this inturned portion 14 may be cemented to the cylinderin addition, if desired.

A metallic closure of cup-like formation comprises the flat end plate 15and an inturned flange 16, which flange embraces the inturned portion 14of the plastic bag or bladder when the closure is forced upon thecylinder 10. Openings 17 in plate 15 and openings 18 in end plate 8 ofthe closure cap C bring the interior of the bladder into communicationwith the external atmosphere.

In assembling the capsule and closure C the plate 8 is placed in ahorizontal position and a ring of a plastic sealing material 19, is runaround and upon plate 8. Then the flat end plate 15 of the capsule ispressed forcibly toward the flat end plate 8 of the closure cap andagainst the annulus of plastic sealing composition, until the sealingcomposition sets and securely unites capsule and cap.

Many types of sealing compositions are available. A

plastic of the general consistency of that used in laying linoleum hasbeen found to be suitable. The sealing composition should be capable ofhardening to a stiff and substantially solid consistency but not to thepoint of such brittleness as would make it susceptible to easilybreaking loose upon shock or jar of the package.

It will be understood that the capsule is thereafter and by the material19 united with and is carried by the closure cap, to be automaticallypositioned in protective position with respect to the contents of thepackage by the mere act of sliding the closure cap into position andwithout the necessity of tightening fastenings of any nature whatever.The described structure adds so little to the conventional closure capthat the cost is almost negligible.

If desired a small piece of silica gel or like moisture absorbent may bedropped into the main container 5 before the cap C is placed inposition. Thereafter the a '3 automatic breathing of the capsule keepsmoisture laden atmosphere excluded for any desired length of time.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particularconstruction illustrated and describedbut that it includes within itspurview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or thespirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A storage receptacle comprising an elongated main tubular paper boardbody portion closed atone end and open at the other, a main closure caphaving a slidable movement upon the outer end portion of the main bodyand constructed to be substantially air tight when forced upon said mainbody, said cap comprising a metallic end plate, a capsule within themain cap comprising a cylindrical body and an outer end closure platewhich lies in substantial parallelism with the end plate of the mainclosure cap, an annulus of adhesive lying between and uniting the endclosure plane of the capsule with the end plate of the main closure cap;an elastic air tight bladder forming bag within the cylindrical bodyhaving its outer edge portions turned over the end of the cylindricalbody of the capsule there being openings formed through the end plateofthe main cap and the closure plate of the capsule to permit the passageof air through the interior portion of the adhesive annulus from theatmosphere to the interior of said bladder forming bag.

2. A structure of the character described comprising an elongatedtubular main body receptacle, and a main closure cap slidable endwiseupon the receptacle at the entrance end thereof which includes an outerend wall, a capsule within and carried by the closure cap comprising acylindrical body, a compressible and expandable portion of the interiorof the cylindrical body which lies 4 bladder within said cylindricalbody in the form of a plastic bag the outer edge portions of which aredisposed toward and have air tight engagement with the outer end portionof the cylindrical body, a cup-like metallic closure comprising a flatplate which lies in parallelism with the outer end wall of the mainclosure cap, which closure has air tight engagement upon the outer endof the cylindrical body and air tight adhesive sealing means disposedbetween and uniting the flat plate of the closure of the cylindricalbody with the inner face of the end wall of the main closure cap throughan annular path which surrounds but does not cover the central portionsof said fiat plate and end wall, and openings in the central portions ofthe fiat plate and in the end wall of the main closure cap forpermitting the passage of air through said plate and the said end Wallof the closure cap, to thereby establish communication between theinterior of the bladder and the external atmosphere, the surroundingsealing adhesive preventing air from passing to the interior of the mainbody receptacle, there being an opening in the capsule through whichcommunication is estab-' lished between the interior of the main bodyand that outside the plastic bag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,132,952 Hewitt Oct. 11, 1938 2,405,614 Shriro Aug. 13, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS 8,392 Great Britain of 1894

